Gas valve



Oct. 13,19 1,551,313

J. H. LINDSAY GAS VALVE I Filed April 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Shut l INVENTOR WITNESSES "cZi'w 1/0.. .]:.H.LLH HA7. BY

, ATTORNEYS J. H. LINDSAY GAS VALVE Filed April 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Shoat 2 i Q L -L J \Q 0 q w BY M ATTORNEYS d it??? w en a?! Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

"UNITED STATES} VALVE.

' Application filed. April 1.6, 1925] Serial m. 23,623.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the cityof New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Im: proved Gas Valve, of which the-following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to gas valves and more particularly to a gas valve which will close automatically when the temperature reaches a point sufficient to destroy or melt a fusible connection, and which also can be released manually to shut oii thesupply of gas to a meter and to the building.-

Escaping gas in the event of fire is not only a source of great danger to the occupants of the building and tothe firemen but greatly increases confiagration and renders the savingof property and livesextremely hazardous. It is the purpose of my improved valve construction to provide means which may be manually operated by the firemen or by any one to shut ofi the supply of gas to thebuilding, and, furthermore, will operate automatically when the temperature reaches a point sufficient to destroy or break down fusiblellinkswhicli form a portion oi the valve I controlling means I y y y Y a Tith this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel "features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed outin the claims. l In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 's,a view partly infsec'tion and partly in elevation, and more or less diagrammatically illustrating how m improved valve isemployed in connectionvjwith a building; a I

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of my improved valve; I

Figure 3 is a view, partly inelevationi and partly broken away illustrating the fusible "link construction;

Figure {l is a viewlin longitudinal section throughthevalve; a V

Figure 5 "s a View in longitudinal section onthe lined-5 of Figure i. p a.

1 represents the casing of my improved valve,'which may be located in vertical position as shown, or in horizontal or other position in accordance with the desire of the usera'nd the conve "ence of assemblage,

e the e art.

The casing 1, is provided with an inlet 2 at its'lower end for the reception of'a supply "pipe 3 screwed therein, and said casing 1s provided at least two sides with outlets l and 5., One of these outlets is closed by'a plug 6, which latter has a wren'clnrecei-ving portion 7 thereon, the latter adapted to be cutie-ff after the plug is screwed into its closed position so as to prevent tampering with the valve.

One of the outlets, forenample'the outlet 4, is connected by a pipe 8 with the gas meter 9, and this pipe 8 has a manually movable valve 10 therein, as is customary in the The valve as a whole may be located in a suitable box 11 in the cellar or other part of the building indicated by the reference numeral 12.

The valve is manually operated by a flexible device, which we will assume for purposes of' description as a cable 13- which is located in a tubular housing 14: and termi- Inside the valve" nates in a boX'15 on the outside oi the builda s'tem'FZO and constitutes astern projecting w from both sides ofthe valve.

An; armQT is cast integral with the inlet portion of the valve casing and a ring thereon'constitutinga guide for one end of the valve stemQO. v The other end of the valve stem 20 is guided in atubularbai'rel "23 integral witli"theplug 16. A coil spring 24 is located around the stein 20 around the barrel28, and bearsat one en dagainst the I iplug 16. Attheotl'ier end -'thefspring bears:

againstthe valve and'temls te oios'e the valve with the necessary pressure against thepressurje'o-f" the gas flowing, through the valve chamber. a

A shaft 25 is mounted in suitable bearings 26in the sides of the val-ye casing adjacent its upper end and this shaft is located in a position appreciablyto fillefside of the valve stem, a erri clearly Pei? will close the valve.

of crank arms 27 is secured to the shaft 25, preferably by set screws 28, and these arms 27 are pivotally connected at their free ends by links 29 with a cross pin 30 projected through the hub 31 of valve 19 and also through the stem.

The stem portions at opposite sides of the valve have perfect alinement and are maintained in perfect alinement by the bearings, one bearing constituting the'sleeve 23 and the other the ring 22. r

On an integral stub 40 projecting from casing 1 I provide a hub'4c1, and preferably provide on said hub a pair of integral crank arms 31 and 32 at an angle to each other. It is to be understood that'only one 'of these arms is actually in use, the other being provided merely in order that it may function in the event that the valve is positioned horizontally. t

A pair of fusible links 33 is secured to the hub 41, preferably by a set screw 34', and these links constitute parallel f crank arms which at their free ends provide rotary mounting for a cylindrical roller 34, the lat ter being used to reduce friction to a minimum.

On the outer end of the shaft 25, a crank arm 35 is secured, and this crank arm 35 at its free end has a semicylindrical enlarge= ment '36'which is adapted to engage the roller 34 and held thereby in a set position.

When the arm 35 is swung in a direction to open the valve, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the links 33 can be moved so as to receive the end of the arm 351against the roller 34: and hold the valve in open positionwith the spring 24 under the desired tension. 7 When a pull i's had on the cable 13 the free ends of the links 33 will be moved downwardly to release the-crank arm 35, and the spring 24 If the temperature rises to a point suliicient'to melt the fusible links 33 the arm 35 will be released and the spring can close the valve. Hence, my improvedyalve may be operated either manually or automatically,

as the case may be.

In opening the valve the arm 35 is swung to the right of-Figure 2 and causes the shaft 25 to turn, the crank arms 27 exerting a pull on the links 29 to-open the valve.

The valve is maintained at all'times in proper alinement with its seat, the fusible links being in multiple to render the device strong and positive i The operating means for opening the valve is strong and positive and reduces friction to a minimum.

The mechanism is such that the valve stem will stay in alinement at'all times.

I The movement controlling the valve stem is positive and friction is reduced to a minimum.

The moving of the valve stem by the pivoted links, which assume any necessary positions, prevents lateral thrust and friction on the stem and valve.

The construction of the valve and the valve casing prevents any water lodging in the valve body. 7

The design of valve allows a full area of pipe connection.

The construction of fusible links allows of rapid and easy renewals.

The construction of the valve is so arranged as not to interfere with pipe connec- The controlling links are so arranged that the valve can be operatedby a manual pull on a cable either in vertical or horizontal position. a

The valve is so arranged that any part of the interior can be easily removed without removing the valve from the line. i The valve is so constructed that it can be cleaned.

Guides on the valve stem keep the spring in positive position.

The double links will conform to any position and keep the valve in. alinement. I

The valve will positively close when the fusible links melt or when the cable is pulled.

Friction in so far as is-possible is eliminated.

The valve cannot be tampered with when once installed.

The interior of the valve is larger in area than the outlets.

There is no cushion to resist the movement of the valve.

While I have described my invention as a gas valve, it is obvious that the same generalconstruction of valve can be utilized in connection w1th air, steam and water as well as'gas. As these links 29 are pivotally connected- Various slight changes and alterations mlght be made in the general form of the parts described without departing from my' invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details'set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve of the character described, comprising a casing having an inlet and an outmeans guiding the movement of the valve in a straight line, a spring adapted to close the valve, a shaft projecting into the casing, a pair of narrow crank arms on the shaft, links connecting the ends of the crank arms with the valve, a crank arm on the shaft outside of the casing, and a movable member adapted to engage said last mentioned arm and hold the valve in open position, said member adapted to be manually moved to release the arm and permit the closing of the valve.

2. A valve of the character described, comprising a casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet in the side thereof and having an opening at the end opposite the inlet, said casing having a valve seat adjacent the inlet, a plug removably closing the end of the valve casing opposite the inlet, a tubular barrel on the plug projecting centrally into the casing, a valve adapted to engage the seat, a stem fixed to the valve and located at both sides of the valve, one end of said stem movable in the barrel, a fixed ring guide located centrally in the inlet portion of the casing and receiving the other end of the stem, a spring between the valve and the plug normally exerting pressure to close the valve, a shaft projecting through the casing, a crank arm on the shaft, a link connecting the crank arm and valve, and means outside the valve for turning the shaft 'to move the valve to open position.

8. A valve of the character described, com prising a casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet in the side thereof and having an opening at the, end opposite the inlet, said casing having a valve seat adjacent the inlet, a plug removably closing the end of the valve casing opposite the inlet, a tubular barrel on the plug projecting centrally into the casing, a valve adapted to engage the seat, a stem fixed to the valve and located at both sides of the valve, one end of said stem movable in the barrel, a fixed ring guide located centrally in the inlet portion of the casing and receiving the other end of the stem, a spring between the valve and the plug normally exerting pressure to close the valve, a shaft projecting through the casing, a pair of crank arms on the shaft having their free ends at opposite sides of the spring, links connecting the crank arms with the valve, and means outside of the valve for turning the shaft to open the valve.

4. A valve of the character described, comprising a casing, a spring-pressed valve in the casing, a shaft projecting through the casing, means on the shaft operatively engaging the valve, an arm on the shaft outside of the casing and adapted to be moved to a position to open the valve against action of the spring, a hub mounted on the casing, a crank arm fixed to the hub and adapted to be manually moved, a pair of fusible links also fixed to the hub, and a roller carried by the fusible links and adapted tobe engaged by the free end of the arm outside of the casing whereby the valve is held in open position and released so as to automatically close when the hub is turned manually or when the fusible links are destroyed.

JOHN H. LINDSAY. 

